Bravery
by nArCiSsTiC wOnDeR
Summary: He wasn't brave enough, and so he waited, though every day he wept inside. Like my kH story, I update when I find inspiration. EmmxB
1. Bravery

Emmett was glad that Edward had a sense of decency- he would hate for the human girl to find out.

That girl, with honey brown hair and a heart shaped face, with the scent that made their mouths water- he had irrevocably, irresistibly fallen in love with her.

Bella had no idea of course- if she did, there would have been trouble, awkward behaviour, and more than once, Emmett wondered whether in fact, he was the best suited match- he had not hurt her, had been there to laugh and comfort her.

He would have gladly sat back, would have let her curse at him, let her kiss him, let her deal with him as she saw fit, though he would feel no physical pain, though mentally he would be reeling, crumbling into dust.

How he wished he had a claim to her, that she would be his flesh-and-blood sister, so he couldn't hurt her.

But he didn't- he was a vampire, a creature that had more strength than Edward- he controlled both urges, to kill her and to love her.

And so, he waited.

He would have comforted her, when Edward left her, would have held her tight, but was dragged away, from someone that made him complete.

He would have comforted her when Edward came back, but Edward got in first.

He would have kissed her, loved her, held her, laughed with her, cried with her, ate with her, given in and changed her, so she could be his for eternity.

But, he couldn't. So he waited, and every night before he laid still on the roof in the wind and clear air, he thought the same thing.

_I'm not brave enough, though I'm the bravest of all of us._


	2. Strength

I didn't really snap to attention until that wind blew- that small, soft breeze that brushed Bella's nearly unbearable scent to the newcomers, the one with plain brown hair.

He shifted into a position I knew all too well, lips curling back in a guttural snarl, and I automatically moved next to Carlisle, in plain, threatening view.

Edward let rip a feral snarl, shifting in front of the girl- and I was quite glad that he wasn't concentrating on the thoughts that ran through my head, most of which were centred around Bella, who turned a pale shade of white.

'What's this?' exclaimed the dark haired one, in interest, and I narrowed my eyes, though he didn't notice. The only one who remained calm was Carlisle.

I noticed James move, and Edward moved with him. I tried not to launch myself- it would ruin the mood Jasper was trying to produce.

'She's with us,' my father said in a friendly, though firm tone. Awareness dawned on Laurent's face, though it was obvious he hadn't caught the scent as well as James had.

'You brought a snack?' Laurent said, in obvious incredulity, and he took an instinctive step forward before I caught his eye and curled my lip back to reveal my teeth. Edward snarled more ferociously than before, and I gave a brief grin- my brother, the pacifist, was finally acting up.

Laurent stepped back.

'I said, she's with us.' Carlisle said corrected, voice hard.

'But she's _human_,' Laurent protested, not aggressive but merely surprised.

This time it was I who spoke, and he properly took me in. 'Yes,' I said, voice cold as I stepped forward and visibly tensed.

I didn't register the rest of the conversation, keeping my eye on James- I could easily take him any day, but for now I had to be content with observing.

Then, we were walking away, and then running, Bella slung over Edward's shoulder, and we arrived at the jeep.

'Strap her in,' he ordered me, hands firm on the wheel as I slid in beside Bella, who had broken out in a sheen of sweat.

I nodded, reaching around her and buckling her in, noticing how very _soft_, _warm _she was. But now wasn't the time for that- I sat back as Edward began to drive, reaching around a hundred in a matter of seconds.

Edward was snarling a string of profanities, some in French, Italian and German, others in English, mostly translations of 'shit' and 'crap' and the dreaded 'f' word.

I ignored him, and concentrated on watching Bella, who was staring blankly ahead.

She was obviously trying to figure out what was going on, though she swallowed a lot- due to the bumpy ride, I guess, not being able to read her mind myself.

I realized we were headed south almost immediately; it took Bella a little longer, and then-

'Where are we going?' Her voice was scared, desperate, and I refrained from the urge to suddenly hug her- that wouldn't do anything right now.

I didn't look at her or answer her- Edward's unspoken order hung around us.

'Dammit, Edward! Where are you taking me?'

'We have to get you away from here- far away- now.' He didn't meet her eyes, and I watched the speedometer inch slowly past one hundred and five miles per hour.

'Turn around! You have to take me home!' She yelled, and began to struggle with the harness. I turned, waiting for him to ask me-

'Emmett,' Edward's voice was frighteningly grim.

I gently wrapped my hands around hers- I suppose to her, it would seem un-bendable and steely, but I was barely doing anything- to me, it was almost tender.

'No! Edward! You can't do this!'

'I have to Bella. Now please be quiet.' Bella didn't hear the underlying fury and menace towards James in his voice, but I did, and swallowed slightly- I was angry too, but to keep Bella calm I would have to keep it quiet.

'I won't! You have to take me back- Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family- Carlisle and Esme! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!' I silently snorted- if only she knew what we had been through…

'Calm down, Bella. We've been there before.' Even to a cold creature like me, his voice sent chills up my spine.

'Not over me, you don't!' she began to struggle, which was futile, and I stayed still, like a marble statue, 'You're not ruining everything over me!'

What a silly thing to say- my whole relationship with Rosalie had been ruined over this soft, fragile human girl.

'Edward,' Alice finally spoke up, 'pull over.'

He glared at her coldly, then sped up further, and I heard Bella's heart accelerate.

'Edward,' her voice was reasoning, 'let's just talk this through.'

'You don't understand,' he roared in frustration, and to my defined hearing it was almost unbearable- I can imagine how loud it was to Bella, in this confined space. The speedometer neared one hundred and fifteen.

Then he spoke the next sentence.

'He's a tracker, Alice, did you _see _that? He's a tracker!'

My whole body became stiff with anger, disgust and fear.

I couldn't hear, or say anything- I'm sure Bella didn't know what this meant, only my body stiffened, and that meant it was bad.

I barely heard anything except Alice coaxing Edward to pull over, and then Bella cried out about not leaving her father, and I surfaced.

'We have to take her back,' I said quietly.

'No.' His voice was cold and unchanged.

'He's no match for us, Edward. He won't be able to touch her.'

That's right- I wouldn't let him come near her.

'He'll wait,' Edward said equally as certain.

I smiled, and my canine tooth protruded slightly over my lip.

'I can wait, too.'

'You didn't see- you don't understand. Once he commits to a hunt, he's unshakeable. We'd have to kill him.'

I grinned wider- bring the leech on, I could take him.

'That's an option,' I allowed.

'And the female- She's with him. If it turns into a fight, the leader will go with them too.'

'There's enough of us,' I argued.

'There's another option,' Alice suddenly said quietly.

Then Edward turned on her, his voice a low, blistering snarl.

'There-is-no-other-option!'

Bella and I stared at him in shock- I had an idea of what the option was, but Alice seemed entirely undisturbed.

The silence lasted for a long, stony minute of Edward and Alice glaring at each other, and then sweet little Bella broke it.

'Does any one want to hear my plan?'

'No,' Edward growled with uncharacteristic lack of respect. Alice seemed to be finally provoked.

'Listen,' she pleaded, brown eyes smouldering in desperation, 'You take me back-'

'No.'

'You take me back. I tell my dad I want to go home to Phoenix. I pack my bags. We wait til this tracker is watching, and then we run. Charlie won't call the FBI on your family, then you can take me any damned place you want.'

We all stared at her, stunned such a plan could be made by Bella.

'It's not a bad idea, really,' my voice was saturated with surprise I forgot to hold back, and she glared at me.

'It might work- and we simply can't leave her father unprotected, you know that.' Alice agreed solemnly.

We all looked at Edward.

'It's too dangerous- I don't want him within a hundred miles of her.'

'Edward, he's not getting through us,' I said, with supreme confidence.

Alice thought for a minute. 'I don't see him attacking. He'll try to wait for us to leave her alone.'

'It won't take him long to realize that's not going to happen,' Edward argued, easily seeing the flaw, though I would guard her with my life.

'I _demand _that you take me home,' Bella said, her voice shaking despite the firm tone.

Edward pressed his fingers to his temple and closed his eyes.

'Please,' she persuaded in a much smaller voice.

He finally spoke, his voice worn.

'You're leaving tonight, whether the tracker sees or not. You tell Charlie that you can't stand another minute in Forks. Tell him whatever story works. Pack the first things your hands touch, and then get in your truck. I don't care what he says to you. You have fifteen minutes. Do you hear me? Fifteen minutes from the time you cross the doorstep.'

The jeep roared to life, and under Edward's expert hands, spun around, tires screeching as the speedometer raced up the dial.

'Emmett?' Bella looked at me, then pointedly at her hands.

I was going to quite miss the soft feel of her hands in mine, but I released them from the tender hold.

'Oh, sorry.'

A long silence, and then;

'This is how it's going to happen. When we get to the house, if the tracker is not there, I will walk her to the door. Then she has fifteen minutes. Emmett, you take the outside of the house. Alice, you get the truck. I'll be inside as long as she is. After she's out, you can take the jeep home and tell Carlisle.'

'No way, I'm with you.' I protested.

'Think it through Emmett. I don't know how long I'll be gone.'

'Until we know how far this is going to go, I'm with you.'

Not to help, but to protect her.

Edward sighed, at my thoughts and the plan.

'If the tracker _is_ there, we keep driving.' His voice was grim.

I only vaguely remember the rest of the drive, mostly finetuning our plans, and I remember being insultingly surprised at Bella's input, but nothing else.

Suddenly, the car came to a stop.

'He's not here,' Edward said with terse relief, 'let's go.'

I reached back to Bella, and helped her unstrap the buckles, absently appreciating her warmth and tender skin.

'Don't worry Bella,' I told her in a low but cheerful voice, glad my voice wasn't betraying my thoughts, 'we'll take care of things here quickly.'

The tears that came to her eyes were anguishing, as I helped her out of the jeep, and I wanted to hug her, but I knew I couldn't.

And then, Edward called my name, and I disappeared into the darkness, with no idea what would happen next, but I had a single unwavering resolution, that was only strengthened as I carried her like a baby in my chest later, and tears spilt on my clothes, strengthened by my fiancé's cruel cold eyes as she realized just how I felt for the human girl.

_When we find him, I'll make him wish that he had never caught the scent of my Bella._


	3. Love

He climbed through the window, his strong, white hands pulling him into a crouching position on the sill.

Then he gracefully lowered himself, landing with a soft thump that didn't disturb the restless figure in the bed.

His breath caught, like always, as he saw her tear stained face, her clenched fists and the scream building up in her throat.

Beneath his brown curls, his golden eyes smouldered in fury, as he strode to her side, and rocked back on his heels.

It had been a month.

A long, painful month.

Still, she had not slept one peaceful night, and he grit his teeth, as she sobbed, her nightmares frightening, hurting her.

His heart, though it was still, throbbed, and he hissed, watching her frown, and shake.

His brother had hurt her so much. She still had so much pain to come, according to his sister.

Many times, he wished that she had met him first, that she loved him.

He would never have left her, would never have hurt her. He would have changed her, so selfish he was, so she could love him forever.

But she hadn't met him first. She had met his brother, had been hurt.

He drew in a ragged breath as her scent hit him.

The strongest, most potent of his weaknesses, was this soft, fragile human girl, who had wormed her way into his still, cold heart and taken root, without even realizing it.

Her scent.. his memory had not done it justice. The potent smell of freesia and roses floated past him, and he wrapped a hand tenderly around her wrist and brought it to his nose.

As his brother put it, 'resisting the wine, but appreciating the bouquet', and his perfectly sculpted nose skimmed over the pale skin, ignoring the burning pain that resonated in his head and sinuses, as he refused to take her blood.

It never failed to surprise him that she was so soft, so warm- he had not felt warmth for many a year, and it made him feel safe, like he was once again a child in his mother's arms, encircled by comfort and loving care.

He hesitated slightly, as she started, tossing over and resuming her silent crying.

After she had settled reasonably, he put her wrist to his mouth, and he lightly kissed it, feeling her warmth upon his lips, and he gave a crooked smile, lavished with care and love.

He always sat there, unable to sleep.

Instead, he closed his eyes, and a low purr emitted from his chest, rougher and wilder than a cat's, but conveying the same amount of contentment.

He sighed in content, and concentrated on only her.

A few hours later into the night, she suddenly ceased her struggles, and a rare smile spread over her face.

He watched her warily, and listened as her lips opened.

'Emmett,' she murmured, and he swallowed, ignoring the breath catching in his throat.

Later, when his brother had returned, he would look at her, in happiness, love and care, and she remained oblivious to it all- after all, she already had two purposes to exist. She didn't need another one.


End file.
